Islanders capable of toppling Boks, coach claims

1.00pm - By DANIEL GILHOOLY

The Pacific Islanders can lift one more time and are capable of their first test rugby win when they play South Africa on Saturday in Gosford, says coach John Boe.

The 41-26 loss to New Zealand in Auckland on Saturday night was an improvement on the 29-14 defeat by Australia a week earlier in their first test Boe believed, adding that even more was now needed if they are to upset the Springboks at the New South Wales central coast venue.

"You can't stand still, we've got to make another step," he said.

"It's a huge challenge. The Springboks are the Springboks, they've got a wonderful history and we're still learning. Once again we made mistakes (against New Zealand). When the game gets fast and the intensity's high, our guys tend to make mistakes because they're not used to that.

"We've got to limit the mistakes but keep the physicality and the passion."

All Blacks coach Graham Henry warned the Springboks that the unorthodox nature of the Pacific Islanders made them a hard opponent to plan for.

"We didn't know what to expect. They haven't been playing on the international scene for too long so it's hard to get a handle on them," Henry said.

"They played with a huge amount of spirit, which our guys found hard to control at times."

There were concerns the players from Tonga, Fiji and Samoa would struggle to come together tightly on tour but Boe said getting together had happened almost immediately.

"They get together and sing and they gel like no other side I've ever seen in my life," former Samoa coach Boe said.

"It's a very closely knit family and the old fashioned values are there."

The Springboks' first Tri-Nations test is a week later, against the All Blacks at Christchurch on July 24.

- NZPA